"Of course giving Sather cap space is like giving teenagers whiskey and car keys." - SBOB"Watching Sather build a team is like watching a blind man with no fingers trying to put together an elaborate puzzle." - Shadowtron
My MS Excel crashed so I couldn't watch the game. - ReggieDunlop68

He's closer than a lot of people give him credit for. A Vezina win (although against weak competition - he only played 42 games that year), three all-star team births and at least one other season when he was a finalist (1998). Injuries held him back, a lot, especially late in his career when he couldn't stay healthy.

He was an instrumental part of the Pens 1991 and 1992 Cup wins. Especially 1992. Lemieux said afterwards he'd "share" the Conn Smythe with Barrasso.

His health problems hurt his case. 1997-98 was the only year, after 1993, in which he played more than 50 games. So does his character. Throughout his career, he was known for being moody, surly, a malcontent. He wasn't always a popular guy with his teammates, and he ticked off a lot of people in the game. The name "Tom Barrasso" doesn't always conjure up the most positive of emotions with hockey people.

Would I induct him? No. Not ahead of Rogie Vachon or Mike Vernon, who have been snubbed by the HHOF committee. I would vote him in ahead of CuJo, and definitely ahead of Richter and Vanbiesbrouck.

Barrasso just makes me think again of Chris Osgood. I don't think Tom ever set himself apart from his peers for any significant period of time to be a HHOF guy.

I hear ya but here's the difference. Osgood is a goalie with good fortune. Felix Potvin could have won those Cups with Detroit.

Barrasso from the get go was good. '84 Vezina winner, '84 Calder winner. First team all-star in '84, 2nd team all-star in '85, '93. That isnt a bad span. Plus his 369 wins and two Cups. IMO he's a lot like Bernie Federko. There are good arguments for and against them and to me Barrasso is just like him where he is probably the most neutral potential inductee that there is. With Vernon more people say yes. With Richter more say no.

He was a cut above Richter, Vanbiesbrouck though. Cujo never won anything and like it or not that hurts a goalie just like it hurts a QB in the NFL. Heck, flip a coin for Barrasso for me. One side if you look at his accomplishments you have to say yes. On the other hand when you ask yourself "Tom Barrasso:HHOFer?" It isnt a resounding yes. Plus his relationship with the media will hurt him